


I've Got A Crush

by youaresunlight



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Animal Shelter AU, Fluff, Just Add Kittens, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 21:14:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3543977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youaresunlight/pseuds/youaresunlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘All cats are plotting world domination, Dean. Get with the program,’ Jo shoots back, and Dean is about to tap out his reply when the buzzer goes off and lights up in his lap. He returns the device to the reception desk, where the same woman takes it and gestures to her left. Dean’s gaze follows the line of her arm, landing on a guy with dark hair and… wow, <em>seriously</em> blue eyes.</p><p>“Dean?” the hot stranger wishes to confirm, and okay, forget everything else; it sounds like he gargles with <em>gravel</em> every morning.</p><p>This is so inappropriate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Got A Crush

**Author's Note:**

> Written for maturedean's request on Tumblr.

“So…” the woman peeks at the top of his application, “Dean, have you decided which cat you’d like to meet?”

“Yeah, um,” Dean pauses to fish a Post-It from his pocket. “Could I see Violet? She’s the grey shorthair. And Aslan too, if that’s okay. He’s the orange tabby.”

“Of course,” she replies, handing him a buzzer. “It’ll just be a few minutes.”

Dean nods and heads to the small lobby by the cattery. There’s an issue of _Modern Cat_ splayed open on the table, and he flips through a few pages before answering a text from Jo. She demands to know whether the kittens have been adopted, so he assures her, ‘Nope, still here. Just gonna make sure they aren’t plotting world domination.’

‘All cats are plotting world domination, Dean. Get with the program,’ Jo shoots back, and Dean is about to tap out his reply when the buzzer goes off and lights up in his lap. He returns the device to the reception desk, where the same woman takes it and gestures to her left. Dean’s gaze follows the line of her arm, landing on a guy with dark hair and… wow, _seriously_ blue eyes.

“Dean?” the hot stranger wishes to confirm, and okay, forget everything else; it sounds like he gargles with _gravel_ every morning.

This is so inappropriate.

“Yup, that’s me,” Dean says, even adds a little wave because he has no clue what to do with his hand. But somehow it makes the guy smile, sort of sweet, and then he’s beckoning Dean toward one of the rooms behind the counter.

“Have a seat,” he offers once they’re inside. “I’ll be right back with Violet and Aslan. My name is Cas, by the way.”

“Cas,” Dean echoes with a smile. “I’d say ‘cool name’ but you probably get that a lot.”

“Actually, most people find it rather odd.” Cas gives a tiny shrug and Christ, he’s adorable too. “You’re one of few who’s liked it so thank you, Dean. You have good taste.”

Dean laughs - a sense of humor is icing on the cake - and feels his stomach swoop low at the small but lingering smile Cas sends his way.

It takes Cas about five minutes to fetch the kittens, though any wait would’ve been worth it to see him holding the two furballs, cuter than either one. He carefully sets them down on the table, and encourages Dean to interact with them before stepping aside to stand against the wall.

“Hey, Violet,” Dean calls to the grey one. Her whiskers twitch as she gingerly sniffs his hand but she lets him pet her in the end, calm and surprisingly friendly. The orange one, however, leaps to a chair and then onto the floor, mewling like he’s suffered a great injustice when Cas crouches down to scoop him back up.

“They’re siblings, right?” Dean asks, still petting Violet.

“Yes,” Cas nods and cradles Aslan in his arms; the kitten proceeds to purr and try to burrow into his chest. “They’re three months old and quite social and sweet.”

“No kidding.” Dean watches as Violet jumps gracefully into his lap, raising an eyebrow over at Cas who appears both fond and pleased; it’s a good look on him. “I would’ve expected her to wander off by now.”

“Have you had pets before?”

Dean shakes his head. “No, I’m adopting for a friend, actually.”

“… I see. Does your friend know that he’s… or that she’s getting a pet?”

“Hmm?” Dean lifts his eyes to find that Cas’ face has fallen a little, and when it dawns on him what Cas might be worried about he straightens and hurries to provide an explanation. “Oh! Yeah, man, this isn’t like a surprise or anything. Benny - that’s my friend - he finally got a place that’ll let him have pets so he’s been planning to adopt for a while. I mean, his birthday’s coming up so a few of us are gonna cover the fees and supplies and whatnot, but he’s the one choosing the kittens and I swear, Cas, he’ll take really good care of ‘em.”

Dean realizes he’s talking a mile-a-minute, yet when he pauses to catch his breath, Cas is smiling, looking relieved. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ve seen too many animals fall victim to unwise gift-giving.” He drops his eyes when Aslan reaches up to paw his chin, and then Cas kisses the kitten’s head and it’s so damn cute that Dean has to grip his chair.

“That sucks,” he manages to say, which leads to their eyes meeting again across the room. He swallows hard and hopes his expression is something neutral, but Violet makes this tiny little noise that’s probably cat code for “Be more obvious, Dean, I dare you.”

“So, uh, I- I think they’re great. The kittens, I mean.” Dean rises from his seat, carrying Violet in his arms. “Could you help me with the paperwork? I’d like to adopt them for Benny.”

Cas visibly lights up and it’s really unfair, how gorgeous he is. “Of course, Dean. Let me take them back to the cattery and I’ll meet you at the desk.”

On their way out, Cas tells him that they can’t be picked up for another few days. They need to be spayed and neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and as he explains, Cas provides him with all the necessary brochures he can pass on to Benny. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Yeah, actually… Will you be here when I come to pick them up?”

Cas tilts his head and Dean swears that his cheeks color a little. “Oh, I’m afraid not,” he says. “I’m only here on Saturdays. During the week, I’m… at my practice.”

Dean blinks. “You’re a vet?”

“Yes,” Cas smiles, “I just volunteer on the weekends. I’m not formal staff.”

And just like that, Dean thinks Cas is totally out of his league, because what the heck Cas is like the hottest vet in the history of vets and he spends his Saturdays _volunteering_ when there’s probably a whole line of people just dying to take him out. Dean figures his place is at the end of that line but then Cas is so _sweet_ and Dean knows he has to see him again. So he asks “But you’re here every Saturday?” - he’s definitely taking the shameless route - and when Cas nods, Dean decides to clear all his Saturdays for the foreseeable future.

Which is how he starts visiting the humane society every week, playing with the cats and befriending employees left and right. They all give him knowing smiles, like he’s wearing a sign that screams “I have a giant crush on the pretty vet,” and honestly, he can’t blame them one bit because anybody can see how flustered he gets when he talks to Cas. And they do talk, he and Cas, about Cas’ work and Dean’s garage and how Aslan shed all over Benny’s new sweater. And when Cas laughs, eyes crinkled around a breathtaking blue, Dean wonders what it’d feel like to see that every day, over coffee, over dinner, in the passenger seat of his Impala after a date.

Still, it’s almost two months later when Dean says, “Hey, so I was thinking of checking out the kennel.”

They’re in the break room - because the entire staff knows who Dean is at this point - and Cas is pouring him a cup of coffee, wearing these light blue scrubs that make his eyes look insanely beautiful. “The kennel?”

“Yeah, you know, Sam has wanted a dog forever, and I used to be opposed but- Well, let’s just say, these animals have grown on me. A lot.”

“You’re great with them,” Cas replies, and there’s a softness in his expression that has Dean hoping for something else to be mutual too. “Do you know what kind of dog Sam would like?”

“Believe me, Cas, he ain’t picky,” Dean laughs, “but I’m sure he’d love a big one, like a retriever or a shepherd.”

Cas nods. “We do have a few large dogs in the kennel now. May I ask why you were opposed to the idea before?”

“Oh, ‘cause we live together. It’s sort of a huge shared commitment, you know?”

“Yes, it is,” Cas agrees, and his voice is quieter though Dean isn’t sure why. But he smiles before Dean can really question it at all, suggesting that he walk through the kennel and maybe come back with Sam so they can choose together.

 

◇ ◇ ◇

 

“I swear, Dean, if I didn’t want a dog so badly, I’d accuse you of using me for another chance to ogle your boyfriend.”

Dean rolls his eyes as he drags (heaves) his brother across the parking lot. “Don’t make me change my mind, Sammy. Cas says-”

“Can’t you just ask the guy out on a date? That’s what normal people do, man, not arrange a bunch of pet adoptions to get the kind-hearted vet to fall for you.” Dean turns to glare at him and he raises both his hands in surrender. “ _Not_ that I’m complaining about the dog.”

Cas is in the lobby when they come through the door, talking to a family whose son is holding a cat - a Calico. Dean recognizes her from the last time he helped Cas feed the cats, and he’s glad she’s found a home because Cas was worried about how shy she is.

“Hi, Dean,” Cas greets once he sends the family on their way. “And you must be Sam,” he adds amiably and shakes Sam’s hand with a winsome smile.

“Hey. Cas, right? It’s nice to meet you,” Sam grins. “Gotta say, it’s great to finally put a face to the name because Dean just _can’t stop_ talking about-”

“Alright then!” Dean cuts in, because god, Sam can be _such_ an ass. “Let’s go look at some dogs, shall we?”

Cas frowns, squinting his eyes in confusion. “Is everything okay, Dean?”

“Yeah, Dean,” Sam nudges him. “Tell us what’s wrong.”

“It’s nothing,” Dean hisses back through gritted teeth, and Sam seriously looks like he’s _this_ close to doubling over.

“C’mon, we can’t bring a dog into a household with so much _tension_.” And Sam, the annoying Sasquatch that he is, fucking winks as he says this and Cas blushes pink, dropping his eyes.

“Um, I could- I could show you to the kennels?” He doesn’t wait for an answer before starting toward the door, completely unaware of Dean jabbing Sam’s ribs in retaliation.

He and Dean hang back once the three of them step inside, while Sam becomes like a kid in a candy store and stops at every kennel to coo at the dogs.

“He loves them,” Cas comments quietly beside him, and Dean huffs out a laugh as he replies, “Yeah, sure does.”

“You’re… um…”

Cas trails off, looking down at his feet; he seems sad and Dean wonders (ridiculously) who he needs to punch.

“Cas? You alright?”

“I’m fine,” but Cas still won’t look at him. “I was just going to say that you’re… a great boyfriend.”

“… What?”

Because _what_?

“You’re a good boyfriend,” Cas says again, and Dean has never been more confused in his life. “You weren’t a fan of animals but you… you spent time here to get accustomed to them and- You’re taking a big step so Sam can be happy. It’s… very selfless of you.”

“Okay, wait- _Hold up_ a minute.” Dean’s head is spinning and his voice comes out sharper than he’d intended and Cas’ eyes dart up in surprise, so wide and blue and- _Fuck_. “You thought- You think Sam is my _boyfriend_?”

“I-isn’t he? I… You never mentioned otherwise…”

Oh, and that was the problem right there; Dean’s so used to being around people who _know_ that Sam’s his brother and- Turns out the only person he needs to punch is himself. “Aw, man, _Cas_. Sam is my brother.”

“… Your-”

Cas bites his lip, like a pouty-mouthed deer in headlights, and damn, Dean’s in love, he’s so in love that he has to say this _now_.

“I’ve been coming here for you,” and of course, he says it all out of order. He sighs, backtracks, and starts again. “Sammy’s my brother, and we live together because it’s cheaper for him than staying in a dorm. All that bickering earlier was for Sam calling me a chickenshit for not asking you out, which I guess in hindsight was him being right because I _really_ want to date you, Cas. I mean, I think you’re incredible and sure, you’d be crazy to even say ‘yes’ to me but I’ll be good to you and-”

And…

And then Cas is _kissing him_ , sweet and soft and warm. The rest of Dean’s speech fades away as Cas pulls him close.

“I wanted to ask,” Cas murmurs against his lips. “Last Saturday, in the break room. I wanted to ask you to dinner.”

Dean’s heart is beating so fast; it leaves him breathless. “I would’ve said ‘yes.’ God, I would’ve…” He tugs Cas in by his shirt, a red staff tee with a trail of paw prints across the torso. He kisses Cas again like Cas is the ocean and he wants to drown, and it’s more wonderful than he could’ve imagined, their mouths fitting together perfectly.

He could kiss Cas forever, Dean thinks, but-

“ _So_ ,” Sam coughs, loudly enough to break them apart. “There’s an Australian Shepherd back there that I really like. I’ll, uh, go ask if they can take him out of his pen. You two just…” he starts flailing his arms and looks pained beyond belief, “continue with your… that.”

He’s blushing as well - and so is Cas, rather adorably - but Dean’s grin is the size of Texas and he’s too happy to even roll his eyes. Besides, Cas is peering at him with dark lashes framing an adoring gaze, and Dean can’t help but think they might be standing at the start of something truly special.

**Author's Note:**

> [Rebloggable link here](http://puppycastiel.tumblr.com/post/113634420745/dean-cas-ive-got-a-crush)
> 
> As always, kudos, comments, and love are very much appreciated! :)


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